explain

/ɪkˈspleɪn/

//ɪkˈspleɪn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"explain" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“explain” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,365 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#1,365
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to illustrate the meaning of.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

explain vs exploit
71% similar
explain vs explained
78% similar
explain vs exclaim
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for explain
PropertyValue
Headwordexplain
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪkˈspleɪn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#1,365
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “explain” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). explain lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for explain is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪkˈspleɪn/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,365 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for explain, with forms such as "epxlain", "exlpain", and "expalin". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "exploit", "explained", "exclaim", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English explanen, from Old French explaner, from Latin explanō (“to flatten, spread out, make plain or clear, explain”), from ex- (“out”) + planō (“to flatten, make level”), from planus (“level, plain”); see plain and plane. Compare esplanade, s… The correct English form is explain, spelled E-X-P-L-A-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to illustrate the meaning of.
  2. 2
    To give the reason for, justification for, or cause of.
  3. 3
    To make flat, smooth out.
  4. 4
    To unfold or make visible.
  5. 5
    To make something plain or intelligible.

Etymology

From Middle English explanen, from Old French explaner, from Latin explanō (“to flatten, spread out, make plain or clear, explain”), from ex- (“out”) + planō (“to flatten, make level”), from planus (“level, plain”); see plain and plane. Compare esplanade, splanade. Displaced Old English reċċan.

Synonyms

expoundelaboraterecceelucidatebring homeabsolveclarifydescribedirectdiscloseexplainillustrateinforminstructjustifyspecifyteachunraveluntangleupsolve

Antonyms

obscure

This word in other languages

explicar(Español)expliquer(Français)erklären(Deutsch)explicar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: epxlain,exlpain,expalin,explainn,explani,explian,expllain,expplain,exxplain,xeplain

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of explain - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

epxlain2exlpain2expalin2explainn1explani2explian2expllain1expplain1
Edit distance from "explain"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "explain"?
"explain" is spelled E-X-P-L-A-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪkˈspleɪn/.
What does "explain" mean?
As a verb, "explain" means: To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to illustrate the meaning of.
What words are commonly confused with "explain"?
"explain" is commonly confused with "exploit", "explained", "exclaim". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "explain"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "explain" is /ɪkˈspleɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "explain"?
From Middle English explanen, from Old French explaner, from Latin explanō (“to flatten, spread out, make plain or clear, explain”), from ex- (“out”) + planō (“to flatten, make level”), from planus (“level, plain”); see plain and plane. Compare es... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “explain”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-X-P-L-A-I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪkˈspleɪn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “exploit” - see the side-by-side comparison. explain vs exploit
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list